Chavarria-Soto, M. M., & Salazar, W. (2010). Manipulation of information, personality, and sports performance. Is it really all a mental issue? Presentation 1836 at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; June 2-5.

This study considered whether the information received regarding a task to be performed affects performance on the task. Some personality traits were considered in order to determine if those who are influenced by the manipulation of information shared common personality features. Healthy active women (N = 10) underwent two sessions. The first was designed to determine the maximum load that could be lifted on a leg press exercise (1 RM). In the second session, Ss were asked to execute five trials (resting in between) of the exercise using the maximum weight obtained in the first session. On each trial, Ss were told they were going to lift a different weight, even though it remained unchanged throughout the five trials. Additionally, All Ss completed the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) to obtain a personality trait profile.

Most Ss showed perceived effort variations on each trial and two were considerably affected, those two exhibiting common personality trait structures where extroversion was the highest scored and neuroticism the lowest.

Implication. Task information received before a performance affects the ensuing performance. The manner of effect sometimes is reflected in the personality of the individual) high extroversion and low neuroticism.

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